Rail-joint.



D. YOAKAM.

RAIL JOINT.

AP1LIUATION ,FILED .TUNE 19| 1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

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D. YOAKAM."

' RAIL JOINT. APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 19, 1912. Y 1,079,820, Patented No ,1913.

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M'ZeLS 615 l' I f DAVID YOAKAM, 0F LAONA, IOWA;

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of- Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Applicatonled J' une 19,1912. Serial No. 204,659.

To all whom t may concern: j

Be it known that I, DAVID YOAKAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lacona, in the county of TNarren and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful 1m provements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

Ths invention relates to rail joints, and the primary object of the same is to provide a joint of an overlapped character which will retain the full strength of each rail and materially reinforce the joint of the rail ends or extremities, and, furthermore, provide a greater width of bearing on the ties at the joint as compared to ordinary rail joint structures without the aid of chairs to effect a uniformity in bearing as regards elasticity to the track, which is an important item in the durability of a railroad track.

A further object o-f the invention is to provide means for associating the ends of rails in such manner as to produce an angular joint where the rail extremities meet and also to produce a tread surface of greater width to prevent the wheels jumping or jolting when the rails contract and leave an open joint and insure a more uniform and even surface to the track, and also to provide a greater bearing area on the ties at the joints with less liability to spreading or slipping action by lateral pressure of the wheels exerted on the rails.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for preserving the continuity of the trackat the joints without impairing it-s strength and also to obviate any tendency to loose movement of the rail joint in a vertical direction as well as in opposite lateral directions and thereby prevent derailments and other accidents. r1`he improved joint also reduces the labor and cost incident to track repair as now commonly incurred at the joints and which arises from the fact that the ordinary rail joints are liable to spring or work loose and shear the bolts, the latter disadvantages being fully overcome by the improved oint.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail joint embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the parts of the joint or the rail sections in separated relation. j Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 5. Fig. f1 is a transverse vertical section on the' line 4 4, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is -a top plan view of the improved joint. j

The numeral 5 designates a rail section of ordinary form, and 6 a rail section having an oset 7 providing a longitudinal seat 8 to flushly receive the extremity or end of the rail section 5, as clearly 4shown by Figs. 1 and l5. The offset 7` in the main is of the same proportions and dimensions as the rail section 6 of which it forms a part, that is, it has a head 9 with a tread surface 10 and a base flange llryconnected to the head by a web 12, the head 9 and flange 11 being approximately similar inV dimensions to the head and flange at one side of the center of the web of the rail section 6. The web 12 of the offset is materially thicker than the 'web of the railsections 5 and 6 and continues into an inwardly projecting longitudinally extending boss or enlargement 13 which provides a combined reinforcing filling and supporting means in a manner which will bepresently explained. The upper edge of the boss or enlargement 13 is downwardly inclined to form a supporting shoulder y14 adapted to fit under the adjacent portion of the head of the rail section 5 which is brought into engagement with the offset 7, and the lower edge of said boss or enlargement is also downwardly and outwardly inclined to provide a base shoulder 15 to fit over the outer portion of the flange of the rail section 5 which is associated with the offset, the shoulder 15 being long enough to permit the boss or enlargement 13. to snugly fit in against the web of the extremity of the rail section 5 between the inner portie-n of the head and of the base flange of the said latter section. It will be seen that the extremity of the rail section 5 which engages the offset is supported againstdepressing and rising movements by the boss or enlargement 13, and the end 16 of the rail section 5 abuts against `the corresponding end 17 of the rail section 6, the said end 17 being cleared for this abutting engagement with relation to the end 16 of the rail section 5 by projecting the offset fully clear of the web and head as well as the base flange o-f the section 6, as shown by Fig. 2, and when the tread surface 10 of the offset 7 -and the tread surface of the adjacent ex- Y offset 7 and the extremity of the rail section 5 gives an extended bearing for the joint of the rail sections on the support or ties 18, as shown by Fig. 1, and the offset and the extremity of the rail section 5 have fish plates 19 applied thereto, as clearly shown by Fig. 3, and the whole secured by bolts 20 passed through the offset and rail extremity and the said fish plates. It will also be seen that the offset is secured to the ties by spikes engaging the flange 11, and similarly the inner flange of the extremity of the rail section 5 will be secured by spikes, as clearly shown by Figs. 3 and 5.

After the parts of the joint have been practically associated as shown by Figs. 1 and 5, it will be impossible for either the offset 7 or the extremity of the rail section 5 to spring up or be depressed, anda very strong and increased resistance is provided against lateral displacement of the rail sections at the joint. Furthermore, the wheels of the rolling stock in traveling over the parts of the joint by reason of the rigidity of the latter and the resistance to springing movement will have an easy action or be free from jolt and jar and less wear will ensue o-n the wheels with a material saving in the durability and practical service of the wheels andthe comfort and convenience of thepassengers as well as reduced vibration on the parts of the cars disposed on the trucks moving over the joints.

The additional cost of forming the offset inthe manner hereinbefore described will be more than compensated for by the durability and longer wearing period of the rails at their o-inted ends and especially in view of the fact that less repair will be required.

A further advantage of the improved joint is that the rail extremities by reason of the offset may be readily and accurately associated when the rails are laid, the offset bcing longitudinally straight or in the main parallel with the rail section of which itforms a part, and hence when the extremity of the associated rail is dispo-sed against the offset as shownby Fig. 1, a straight disposition of the several rail sections will be assured. The improved joint embodying the offset also dispenses with the necessity of using rail chairs or supporting plates under the rail flanges with material advantage in asaving in the cost of railroad construction or economy in railroad maintenance.

lVhat is claimed is: In a rail joint, the combination of a rail section having an angular offset at one end of substantially the same configuration as the body of the said rail section and extending in the main longitudinally straight in a plane parallel to the section to provide a straight transverse abutting shoulder and a sea-t, the transverse extent of the shoulder and seat being just equal to the cross-scctional extent of an ordinary rail extremity, the offset between the upper and lower sur faces thereof having a longitudinal boss which is in addition to the thickness of the offset and has a vertical extent less than the maximum vertical extent of the offset and a thickness less than the transverse extent of the recess formed by the offset, and a second rail section of normal contour and propor-- tions having its extremity fitted in the said recess flush with the portion of the rail. extremity carrying the offset with the said boss snugly fitting in the side of the said second rail section between the head and the base flange of the latter, the one side of the head of the second rail section being supported on the upper edge of the boss below the top surface of the offset, and means extending through the two rail sections for securing them.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID YOAKAM. Witnesses CHARLns S. Hymn, JAMES L. Norms, Jr.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

